High density ribbon cable connector and dual transition contact therefor

ABSTRACT

An electrical terminal (32) for insertion into a passage (30) in a dielectric housing (22) or a high density ribbon cable connector (20) incorporating the terminal is disclosed. The high density ribbon cable connector (20) has an insulative housing (22) having passages (30) extending therethrough. Each of the passages (30) have an electrical terminal (32) secured therein. Each terminal (32) has a mating section (34), an intermediate section (56) and an insulation displacement section (38). A first transition section (60) is disposed between the mating section (34) and the intermediate section (56); a second transition section (72) is disposed between the intermediate section (56) and the insulation displacement section (38). The intermediate section (56) provides forwardly facing stop shoulders (58) for engagement with stop shoulders (64) in the insulative housing (22) to position the terminal (32) in a passage (30). Each terminal (32) is pushed into a passage (30) in the housing (22) by applying an insertion force on rearwardly facing shoulders (65) on the intermediate section (40). The first transition section (60) provides that the forwardly facing stop shoulders (58) on the intermediate section (46) are not in the same plane as the mating section (34) of the terminal (32). The second transition section (72) positions the insulation displacement section (38) out of the plane of the rearwardly facing insertion force shoulders (65). A termination cover (24) is used to press the ribbon cable (94) onto the insulation displacement sections (38) of the terminals (32), thereby terminating the conductors (92) of the ribbon cable (94) to respective terminals (32).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to electrical connectors and contacts thereforeand, in particular, to a high density ribbon cable connector and a dualtransition contact therefore.

As printed circuit board components are down-sized, the printed circuitboard area allocated for connectors is also decreased. As the smallerarea is utilized, more contacts are placed in smaller and smallerconnectors. The complementary connectors, typically a ribbon cableconnector, must also contain a higher density of contacts. As thedensity of contacts in ribbon cable connectors increases, the spacingbetween adjacent conductors in ribbon cable decreases correspondingly.As the spacing between conductors in the ribbon cable decreases, thelikelihood of adjacent contacts making electrical engagement with eachother increases with the result that contacts must be designed to assurethere is dielectric housing material separating the contacts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, an electrical terminal forinsertion into a passage in a dielectric housing or a high densityribbon cable connector incorporating the terminal is disclosed. The highdensity ribbon cable connector has an insulative housing having aplurality of passages extending therethrough. Each of the passages hasan electrical terminal secured therein. Each terminal has a matingsection, an intermediate section and an insulation displacement section.A first transition section is disposed between the mating section andthe intermediate section; a second transition section is disposedbetween the intermediate section and the insulation displacementsection. The intermediate section provides forwardly facing stopshoulders for engagement with stop shoulders in the insulative housingto position the terminal in the passage in which it is inserted. Eachterminal is pushed into a passage in the housing by applying aninsertion force on rearwardly facing shoulders on the intermediatesection. The first transition section provides that the forwardly facingstop shoulders on the intermediate section are not in the same plane asthe mating section of the terminal. A second transition section isdisposed between the intermediate section and the insulationdisplacement section. The second transition section provides that theinsulation displacement section is not in the same plane as rearwardlyfacing insertion force shoulders also on the intermediate section. Alatching termination cover is used to press the ribbon cable onto theinsulation displacement sections of the terminals, thereby terminatingthe conductors of the ribbon cable to respective terminals.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a high density ribbon cable connector,in accordance with the invention, with the terminating cover explodedfrom the connector housing and with the housing partially cut away;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of terminals in accordance with the presentinvention carried on a carrier strip;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the two types of contacts disclosed inthe preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a view of the connector housing showing the conductorreceiving face;

FIG. 5 is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the housing of a connector, partiallycut away, showing a contact positioned in the housing and the housingstructure for receiving a contact;

FIG. 7 is a top view of a row of the first type of contacts in acut-away housing;

FIG. 8 is a top view of a row of the second type of contacts in acut-away housing;

FIG. 9 is a side view, partially sectioned, of the connector with aribbon cable positioned to be terminated and the termination cover in apre-termination position;

FIG. 10 is an end sectional view of the connector of FIG. 9, taken alongthe lines 10--10;

FIG. 11 is a side view, partially sectioned, of the connector with aribbon cable terminated thereto and the termination cover in aterminated position; and

FIG. 12 is an end sectional view of the connector of FIG. 11, takenalong the lines 12--12.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A high density ribbon cable connector 20 in accordance with the presentinvention is shown in a perspective view in FIG. 1. Although connector20 is shown as an unshielded connector, it could be a shieldedconnector. Connector 20 includes housing 22 and termination cover 24,both molded of a dielectric material. Housing 22 has forward mating face26, opposed conductor receiving rear face 28 and contact receivingpassages 30 extending therebetween, with contacts 32 secured therein. Inthe preferred embodiment, contacts 32 are positioned in housing 22 withthe mating portion 34, in the form of tab 36, in two rows spaced withcenterlines 0.100 inch (2.5 mm) apart, with adjacent tabs in each rowspaced with centerlines 0.050 inch (1.27 mm) apart, however theinventions is not limited to these contact spacings.

Contacts 32, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, are stamped and formed fromrolled strip stock, typically phosphorus bronze. A portion of the widthof the rolled stock is pre-milled to provide a thinner region along anedge of the strip stock. Each contact 32 has a mating portion 34 at oneend, an insulation displacement plate 38 at the other end, and anintermediate portion 40 therebetween. The mating portion 34 of eachcontact 32 is stamped in the thicker portion of the stock; theinsulation displacement plate 38 is stamped in the thinner region of thestock.

Mating portion 34 comprises tab 36 having barbs 42 on side edges 44thereof, and defining axis 46 therethrough. Upon insertion of contact 32into a passage 30, barbs 42 plow through passage sidewalls 48 (see FIG.6) with plastic flowing around the barbs to provide an interference fitthat secures tab 36 and hence contact 32 in passage 30. The intermediateportion 40 of contact 32 comprises a portion of the carrier strip 50.When contact 32 is severed from carrier strip 50, laterally facingsheared edge surfaces 52 are formed. The section 54 of the carrier stripbetween adjacent edge surfaces 52 of adjacent contacts 32 may have feedholes and is discarded. The section of the carrier strip that remains oneach contact 32 comprises intermediate portion 40 and extends laterally,typically beyond tab 36, providing forward facing stop shoulders 58. Ina preferred embodiment, tab 36 is off-set from the plane of the stock,which is the plane of carrier strip 50 and section 54, in a firstdirection, resulting in a first transition region 60 providing a firstoff-set.

Insulation displacement plate 38 is thinner to facilitate insulationdisplacement termination of ribbon cable 94 by reducing the forcenecessary to effect a termination. Insulation displacement plate 38extends from section 56 on extension 62. Section 56 extends laterally,typically beyond extension 62, providing rearwardly facing stopshoulders 65 (see FIG. 6). When contacts 32 are inserted into housing22, the insertion force is applied to shoulders 65 and hence the thickerportion of the contact to push contacts into respective passages 30. Theinsertion force overcomes the resistance to insertion incurred by barbs42 providing an interference fit with walls 48. First transition region60 provides that the forwardly facing stop shoulders 58 on section 56are not in the same plane as the mating portion 34 of contact 32.

A first surface 66 of extension 62 extends coplanar with a first surface68 of section 56. Ramped surface 70 on the opposing side of extension 62makes the transition from the thicker stock of tab 36 and section 56 tothe thinner, pre-milled stock of insulation displacement plate 38.

In a preferred embodiment, insulation displacement plate 38 is off-setat second transition region 72 from section 56 in the same directionthat section 56 is off-set from tab 36, with insulation displacementplate 38 substantially parallel to section 56. Second transition region72 provides that the insulation displacement plate 38 is not in the sameplane as rearwardly facing shoulders 65.

Insulation displacement plate 38 extends to a pair of insulationpiercing points 74 at the distal end spaced approximately as thecenterline spacing of conductors in the ribbon cable to be terminated.Tapered lead-in surfaces 76 angle toward conductor receiving slots 78.Slot 78 extends into a widened base region 80 of plate 38 which beginsabout halfway along slot 78. Slot 78 is substantially parallel to axis46 and laterally displaced therefrom.

Second transition region 72 provides an insulation displacement plate 38that is out of the plane of section 56 such that an insertion tool canengage rearwardly facing shoulders 65 to apply an insertion force topush contacts 32 into passages 30 of housing 22. The insertion tool inthe preferred embodiment would bridge extension 62 and ramped surface70. Without the second transition region 72 it would be more difficultto apply an insertion force to shoulders 65.

As best seen in FIGS. 3, 5, 7 and 8, there are two types of contacts 32with the general features described above. Contact 32a will be referredto as an outside contact as insulation displacement plate 38 of contacts32a form the two outer rows of insulation displacement plates, as seenin FIGS. 4 and 5. Contact 32b will be referred to as an inside contact,as insulation displacement plate 38 of contact 32b forms the two innerrows of insulation displacement plates in FIGS. 4 and 5.

In the preferred embodiment, the mating portion of outer row of contacts32a and the mating portion of adjacent inner row of contacts 32b form afirst row 84 of tabs 36. Similarly, the mating portion of the otherouter row of contacts 32a and the mating portion of the adjacent innerrow of contacts 32b form a second row 86 of tabs 36.

Due to the high contact density, that is the closeness of the spacingbetween contacts 32 and the relative width of base region 80, if theinsulation displacement plates 38 were not offset from the matingportion of contacts 32 such as towards side wall 88,90, the lateraledges of base region 80 of adjacent contacts would engage, therebyshorting out. Even if the lateral edges did not engage, dielectricmaterial separating adjacent contacts may not provide sufficientdielectric material to withstand voltages to be practical. The dualtransitions between mating portion 34 and insulation displacement plate38 provides for a greater inter-insulation displacement plate spacingwhich minimizes the potential arcing between contacts.

The outer contacts 32a in row 84 are identical to the outer contacts 32ain row 86, the outer contacts 32a in row 86 being rotated 180 degreesaround axis 46. The inner contacts 32b in row 84 are identical to theinner contacts 32b in row 86, the contacts 32b in row 86 being rotated180 degrees around axis 46. In the preferred embodiment, the insulationdisplacement plate 38 of inside contacts 32b is offset inwardly towardthe interior of the connector housing from the axis 46 of tab 36. Theinsulation displacement plate 38 of the outside contacts 32a is offsetoutwardly toward side walls 88,90 from axis 46 thereof. The conductorreceiving slot 78 in contacts 32 is offset laterally from axis 46. Theoffset is one-half of the centerline spacing of conductors 92 in ribboncable 94. The preferred embodiment's connector is described to beterminated to a ribbon cable 94 having conductor 92 centerline spacingof 0.025 inch (0.635 mm). Thus, the lateral offset in the preferredembodiment is 0.0125 inch (0.317 mm).

The insulation displacement plates of terminals 32c, 32d, 32e and 32fterminate four adjacent conductors in ribbon cable 94. Adjacentconductors in the ribbon cable, thus being terminated, are conductivewith the mating portion 34 of adjacent contacts across centerline 96.Thus, if the conductors of the ribbon cable alternately carry a signal,ground, signal, ground, etc., all ground conductors are terminated tocontacts such that all mating portions 34 in a row 84 carry a groundwhile all mating portions 34 in a row 86 carry signals.

As seen in FIG. 5, slot 78 is offset one-half of the centerline spacingto the left of axis 46 of contact 32c. A line segment interconnectingthe axes of contacts 32c and 32d is normal to the centerline 96 of face28. Slot 78 is offset one-half of the centerline spacing to the right ofaxis 46 of contact 32d. As stated above, the centerline spacing betweenaxes 46 of contacts 32d and 32f is 0.050 inches (1.27 mm).

A line segment interconnecting the axes of contacts 32e and 32f isnormal to centerline 96. Slot 78 is offset one-half of the centerlinespacing to the right of axis 46 of contact 32. Slot 78 is offsetone-half of the centerline spacing to the left of axis 46 of contact32e. It can thus be seen that slots 78 of contacts 32c, 32d, 32e and 32fare spaced to correspond to the centerline spacing of the conductors ofa ribbon cable adapted to be terminated thereon.

In the preferred embodiment, passage 30 for either an inside or anoutside contact is virtually identical, as seen in FIGS. 7 and 8. Thedifferences are that for an outside contact, the passage offsetsoutwardly toward a side wall of housing 22 whereas for an insidecontact, the passage offsets inwardly toward centerline 96. Furthermore,ribs 104 are on wall 106 for all contacts and allowance is made for base80 to be offset such that slot 78 is offset laterally from axis 46 inopposite directions for inside and outside contacts, as best seen inFIGS. 7 and 8.

The spacing between side edges 44 of adjacent tabs 36 in a row of tabs84 or 86 is the minimum distance 154 between any two points of anyfeatures of adjacent contacts in a row 84 or 86. As seen in FIGS. 7 and8, all features of inside contacts are maintained spaced from adjacentinside contacts at least the minimum distance 154. Likewise, allfeatures of outside contacts are maintained spaced from adjacent outsidecontacts at least the minimum distance 154. The dual offsets provided byfirst transition region 60 and second transition region 72 assure thatall features of intermediate portion 40 and insulation displacementplate 38 of adjacent inside and outside contacts remain at least theminimum distance 154 apart. Thus, where a projection of a feature ofadjacent contacts overlies each other, they are at least the minimumdistance 154 apart, for example, the corners 156 and 158 of intermediateportion 40 of contacts 32 as best seen in FIG. 6.

The spacing between the closest points of inside contacts 32b crosscenterline 96, as best seen in FIG. 5, is also maintained at leastminimum distance 154 apart.

FIG. 6 shows a cutaway view of a part of housing 22 showing detailedfeatures of passage 30. Tab 36, upon insertion into a respective passage30, is guided into the narrower forward portion 98 by cooperatingtapered end 100 and tapered lead-in surfaces 102 which laterallyposition tab 36 for entry into forward portion 98. Tab 104 protrudinginward along the forward portion of passage wall 106 forces tab 36against the opposite passage wall 108 to minimize the position toleranceof tabs 36.

First transition region 60 provides the transition from narrow forwardportion 98 to recess 110. Tapered lead-in surfaces 112 facilitate firsttransition region 60 entering recess 110 and permit a radius on contact32 between tab 36 and section 56.

During insertion of a contact into a contact receiving passage 30,forwardly facing shoulders 58 seat against rearwardly facing shoulders64 to precisely position contact 32 in passage 30. Thus, shoulders 58provide a datum on contacts 32 relative to which all contact structureis referenced. Similarly, shoulders 64 provide a datum on housing 22relative to which structure along passage 32 is referenced.

Surface 68 of section 56 engages a wall 114. Lateral edge surfaces 52extend between the clear walls 116,118 Walls 116 and 118 extendrearwardly to tapered lead-ins 120, with wall 116 offset at taperedlead-in 122.

Second transition region 72 provides a transition from section 56engaging wall 114 to base region 80 engaging a wall 123. Secondtransition region 72 is received in recess 124. Tapered lead-in -26guides second transition region 72 into recess 124 during insertion of acontact 32 into passage 30. With a contact 32 positioned in passage 30,there is a small amount of clearance between shoulders 128 and base 80as at 130. Shoulders 128 support base 80 during termination of cable 94.

Housing end walls 132, 134 have terminating cover alignment ribs 136extending outwardly therefrom. Latch means 138 are provided on ribs 136to cooperate with complementary latch means on terminating cover 24 tosecure the terminating cover to housing 22. Terminating cover 24 iselongate, having latch arms 140 at opposite ends thereof, with an innersurface 142 extending therebetween for engaging ribbon cable 94. Latcharms 140 have a channel 144 complementary to ribs 136 which cooperateswith ribs 136 during movement of termination cover 24 from apretermination position to a termination position to guide cover 24parallel to slots 78. Latch arms 140 also have complementary latch means146 adapted to engage latch means 138 to retain cover 24 on housing 22.FIGS. 9 and 10 show termination cover 24 on a pretermination positionwherein latch means 138 in complementary latch means 146 maintainterminating cover 24 such that inner surface 142 is spaced frominsulation piercing points 74 of contacts 32 to permit insertion of aribbon cable 94 therebetween.

During termination of ribbon cable 94 onto connector 20, terminatingcover 24 may be placed in tool 150, cable 94 passed between plates 38and inner surface 142 with conductors 92 positioned to correspond toslots 78, thence housing 22 pressed toward cover 24 as indicated byarrow 152. Conductors 92 are terminated on respective plates 38 asinsulation displacement plates 38 pass into recesses 148 and innersurface 142. This provides some plastic adjacent to each recess 148 tosupport the insulation surrounding a conductor being terminated in aplate passing into the recess.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show terminating cover 24 having been moved from apretermination position to a termination position with latch means 138in complementary latch means 146 securing cover 24 to housing 22 in theterminated position.

Although the first and second transitions have been described hereinabove in the preferred embodiment as providing that section 56 isdisplaced out of the plane of mating portion 34 and plate 38 isdisplaced out of the plane of both section 56 and mating portion 34, itis contemplated within the scope of the invention that variations may bemade. One possible variation is to provide a mating portion 34 that issubstantially coplanar with a thinner insulation displacement plate 38with intermediate portion 56 rotated 90 degrees such that the first andsecond transitions are a twist.

I claim:
 1. A high density ribbon cable connector for terminating to aribbon cable having close, uniformly spaced conductors surrounded byinsulation, said connector comprising:an insulative housing having acable receiving face and a plurality of passages extending into thehousing from said cable receiving face; each of said passages having anelectrical terminal secured therein, said terminal comprising a matingsection, an intermediate section, an insulation displacement section, afirst transition section, and a second transition section, said firsttransition section between the mating section and the intermediatesection, said first transition section displacing the mating sectionfrom the intermediate section in a first direction, said secondtransition section between the intermediate section and the insulationdisplacement section, said second transition section displacing theinsulation displacement section from the intermediate section in asecond, opposite direction from the first direction, a portion of saidinsulation displacement section extending beyond said cable receivingface for termination thereto of the ribbon cable; and a terminationcover securable to said housing, whereby when the termination cover ispositioned in a pretermination position with a ribbon cable between thecover and the insulation displacement section of the terminals, pressingon the termination cover will terminate conductors of the ribbon cableto respective insulation displacement sections of said terminals.
 2. Ahigh density ribbon cable connector as recited in claim 1 wherein theintermediate section of each terminal further comprises a forwardlyfacing stop shoulder for engaging a stop surface in a respectivepassage.
 3. A high density ribbon cable connector as recited in claim 1wherein the intermediate section of each terminal further comprises arearwardly facing shoulder on which an insertion force can be appliedduring insertion of said terminals into said passages.
 4. A high densityribbon cable connector as recited in claim 1 wherein said firsttransition section offsets the mating section from the plane of theintermediate section.
 5. A high density ribbon cable connector asrecited in claim wherein said second transition section offsets theinsulation displacement section from the plane of the intermediatesection.
 6. A high density ribbon cable connector as recited in claim 4wherein said second transition section offsets the insulationdisplacement section from the plane of the intermediate section.
 7. Anelectrical terminal for insertion into a passage in a dielectric housingcomprising:a mating section, an intermediate section, and an insulationdisplacement section,a first transition section, said first transitionsection between the mating section and the intermediate section, saidfirst transition section displacing the mating section from theintermediate section in a first direction, a second transition section,said second transition section between the intermediate section and theinsulation displacement section, said second transition sectiondisplacing the insulation displacement section from the intermediatesection in a second, opposite direction from said first direction.
 8. Anelectrical terminal for insertion into a passage in a dielectric housingas recited in claim 7 wherein said intermediate section furthercomprises a forwardly facing stop shoulder for engaging a stop surfacein said passage upon insertion thereinto.
 9. An electrical terminal forinsertion into a passage in a dielectric housing as recited in claim 7wherein said intermediate section further comprises a rearwardly facingshoulder on which an insertion force can be applied to push saidterminal into the passage.
 10. An electrical terminal for insertion intoa passage in a dielectric housing as recited in claim 7 wherein saidfirst transition section offsets the mating section from the plane ofthe intermediate section.
 11. An electrical terminal for insertion intoa passage in a dielectric housing as recited in claim 7 wherein saidsecond transition section offsets the insulation displacement sectionfrom the plane of the intermediate section.
 12. An electrical terminalfor insertion into a passage in a dielectric housing as recited in claim10 wherein said second transition section offsets the insulationdisplacement section from the plane of the intermediate section.
 13. Ahigh density ribbon cable connector for terminating ribbon cable havingclose, uniformly spaced conductors surrounded by insulation, saidconnector comprising:an insulative housing having a cable receiving faceand a plurality of passages extending into the housing from said cablereceiving face, each said passage having a stop shoulder facing saidcable receiving face; each of said passages having an electricalterminal secured therein, said terminal comprising a mating sectiondefining a plane, an intermediate section having forwardly facing stopmeans and rearwardly facing stop means, an insulation displacementsection defining a plane, a first transition section and a secondtransition section, said first transition section between said matingsection and said intermediate section to position said forwardly facingstop means out of the plane of the mating section to engage said stopshoulder, said second transition section between said intermediatesection and said insulation displacement section to position saidrearwardly facing stop means out of the plane of said insulationdisplacement section; and a termination cover securable to said housing,whereby when the termination cover is positioned in a preterminationposition with a ribbon cable between the cover and the insulationdisplacement section of the terminals, pressing on the termination coverwill terminate conductors of the ribbon cable to respective insulationdisplacement sections of said terminals.
 14. A connector for terminatingto a ribbon cable having close, uniformly spaced conductors surroundedby insulation, said connector comprising:an insulative housing defininga cable receiving face, a first mating face and a first row of terminalreceiving passages extending therebetween, each of said passages havingan electrical terminal secured therein, each terminal comprising amating section defining an axis, and wall means facing adjacentterminals in said row of terminals defining a predetermined distancetherebetween, an intermediate section, an insulation displacementsection, a first transition section, and a second transition section,said first transition section between the mating section and theintermediate section, said first transition section displacing themating section from the plane of the intermediate section in an firstdirection normal to said row of terminal receiving passages, said secondtransition section between the intermediate section and the insulationdisplacement section, said second transition section displacing theinsulation displacement section from the intermediate section in asecond, opposite direction from the first direction, such that theinsulation displacement section is offset from the axis of the matingportion, at least a portion of each insulation displacement sectionextending beyond said cable receiving face for termination thereto ofthe ribbon cable, alternate terminals in said row having the insulationdisplacement sections thereof offset from the axis of the matingportions in opposite directions normal to the row.
 15. A connector forterminating to a ribbon cable as recited in claim 14, wherein theintermediate sections of adjacent terminals in a row partially overlieeach other and are spaced at least said predetermined distance apart.16. A connector for terminating to a ribbon cable as recited in claim14, wherein the insulation displacement section of each terminalincludes an insulation displacement slot, said slots being offset fromthe axis of the mating portion of a respective terminal parallel to saidrow.
 17. A connector for terminating to a ribbon cable as recited inclaim 14, wherein the insulation displacement slot of terminals in saidfirst row are offset from the axis of the mating portion of saidterminals parallel to said first row in a first lateral direction.
 18. Aconnector for terminating to a ribbon cable as recited in claim 16,wherein the offset of the insulation displacement slot from the axis ofthe mating portion of a terminal parallel to said row is one-half of thespacing between the axes of adjacent terminals in said row.
 19. Aconnector for terminating to a ribbon cable as recited in claim 14,further comprising a second row of terminal receiving passagessubstantially parallel to said first row, said second row of passageshaving like terminals secured therein, wherein the insulationdisplacement sections of terminals in each row offset from the axis ofthe mating section toward the other row of contacts partially overlieeach other and are spaced at least said predetermined distance apart.20. A connector for terminating to a ribbon cable as recited in claim19, wherein a terminal in said first row with the mating sectiondisplaced from the intermediate section in said first direction isidentical to a terminal in said second row, with the mating sectiondisplaced from the intermediate section in said second direction,whereby the terminal in said second row is oriented 180 degrees relativeto said terminal in said first row.
 21. A connector for terminating to aribbon cable as recited in claim 19, wherein the insulation displacementslot of terminals in said first row are offset from the axis of themating portion of said terminals parallel to said first row in a firstlateral direction and the insulation displacement slot of terminals insaid second row are offset from the axis of the mating portion of saidterminals parallel to said second row in a second lateral direction,said second lateral direction being opposite to said first lateraldirection.
 22. A connector for terminating to a ribbon cable as recitedin claim 19, wherein a terminal in said first row, with the matingsection displaced from the intermediate section in said seconddirection, is identical to a terminal in said second row, with themating section displaced from the intermediate section in said firstdirection, whereby the terminal in said second row is oriented 180degrees relative to said terminal in said first row.
 23. A connector forterminating to a ribbon cable as recited in claim 14, wherein saidintermediate section further comprises rearwardly facing insertionshoulders, whereby said second transition provides access to saidinsertion shoulders by displacing the insulation displacing section fromthe plane of the intermediate section.
 24. A connector for terminatingto a ribbon cable as recited in claim 14, wherein said intermediatesection further comprises forwardly facing stop shoulders and saidhousing further comprises rearwardly facing stop shoulders forcooperating with said forwardly facing stop shoulders on theintermediate section, whereby upon insertion of a terminal into apassage, the forwardly facing stop shoulders on the intermediate sectionengage the rearwardly facing stop shoulders on the housing to positionthe terminal in said passage.
 25. A connector for terminating to aribbon cable as recited in claim 14, wherein every other conductor isadapted to be terminated to a terminal in said first row and thealternate conductors are adapted to be terminated to a terminal in saidsecond row.